Savin Hill’s unconventional school, work program

Cristo Rey High School, at 100 Savin Hill Ave. in Savin Hill, does more than teach academic subjects.

All 350 students participate in its work-study program, which gives them a chance to work outside the classroom.
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Students in the program generally attend classes four days a week and work one.
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One student in the program this year is Jaimilio Hernandez, 15, who likes to be called Jay.

On a recent Thursday morning he checked into the work-study program at 7:45 a.m. with administrator Laura Capasso to get his day’s schedule.

The dress code varies from job to job but all students are required to look professional.
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Jay reviews his schedule before heading to work.

Every student works five full days a month to help pay for their tuition.

Many Cristo Rey students come from low-income families and benefit from the Catholic school’s partnership with companies such as Bond Brothers, Fidelity Investments, O’Neill and Associates, and many more.
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Capasso hands out train passes as the students head to work.

Students who don’t work near T stops are shuttled to their respective jobs.
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At Savin Hill Station, just a few yards from the school, Jay and other students in the work-study program wait for the Red Line.
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Jay is working at O’Neill and Associates.

The company is teaching him entry-level office skills that he says are invaluable.

“I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile,” Jay commented about his job. “ I really enjoy working here.”
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Julie Hendren hands Jay folders that she wants him to file. Jay double-checks the instructions to make sure he puts the files in the right place.
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Jay takes a few minutes to sort the day’s mail, ensuring that he puts it in the right slots.
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As Halloween approaches, Jay sends an email to the employees of O’Neill and Associates reminding them to donate candy, which the company gives to Chardon Street Shelter for Women and Children.
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As jay heads to his supervisor’s office, he can’t help but smile when he sees his Halloween project come to fruition. The pumpkins are lined up, the candy collected and all he has left to do is fill the pumpkins.
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Nairi Aprahamian, vice president of operations, is Jay’s supervisor. She said Jay is a pleasure to work with and enjoys working with the “amazing students” that Cristo Rey sends the company. Here, Jay stops by her office before the end of his workday to ask about any final projects. He hopes to attend NYU and study mechanical engineering.
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Back at Cristo Rey, Jay meets with Emily Smalley, vice president of external relations, to talk about his job, progress or concerns. Smalley says because of the work-study program, students are being molded into the professionals they hope to be after college. Cristo Rey boasts of a 100 percent acceptance rate to four-year colleges.
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